Microsoft this morning confirmed suggested U.S. retail prices for Windows Vista, now in a near-final form and being tested by outside software users. The prices, which match those posted last month on Amazon.com, have not changed since the launch of Windows XP in 2001. Microsoft said today that some versions are priced the same as their Windows 95 predecessors.

Microsoft made Vista Release Candidate 1 (RC1) available to a select group of outside users on Friday. It's broadening the outside testing group to include participants in the Windows Customer Preview Program. In all, the company aims to have RC1 tested by 5 million users, Microsoft said.

More: Results from early testers of RC1 suggest Microsoft has come a long way. Paul Thurrott, who has followed Vista every step of the way, writes: "This is the Windows Vista you were promised three years ago." His review goes into great detail about what's been fixed and what still remains to be done.